Problems creating Virtual machines, ESXi update 3, Local storage can hold .iso images but Virtual machines don't recognize any storage devices.

[BBaldauf]

Hello All,

I have an old Dell Poweredge 2450. It's nothing special at all, dual 733 P IIIs, 2 gb ram, 4 - 73 gb SCSI drives set up as RAID 5. The install of ESXi 3.5 , update 3 goes just fine. Using the Infrastructure client, I can upload an XP Pro .iso image to the local stoarge just fine. The problem is in creating virual machines. I use the Infrastructure client to go through the creation process and can view the Windows XP Pro going through the set up process using the Console. I go through the normal Windows XP setup procedure and run in to problems of it not recognizing a hard drive for itself even though I have set aside 25 gb for its C: drive.

Any ideas? Maybe it is just to old to be used for ESXi server?

Thanks

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Welcome to the VMware Community forums. Your post has been moved to the VI: Virtual Machine and Guest OS forum.

Dave Mishchenko

VMware Communities User Moderator

The XP cd doesn't have the SCSI drivers on it to recognize either the Buslogic or LSI logic SCSC controllers that ESX uses in its VMs. If you created your VM with a SCSI adapter type of buslogic, you'll need to download a drivers floppy image from the below link.

http://www.vmware.com/download/server/drivers_tools.html

Then

1) copy the FLP file to your ESX server (you can put it on the VMFS data store).

2) edit your VM and change the floppy to use an image file. Then browse to the FLP file. Make sure the connected at power option is enabled.

3) power on your VM. During the Windows install at the right time press F6 to add storage drivers and then load the driver from the floppy drive in the VM.

If you're using the LSI logic controller - see this link - http://virtrix.blogspot.com/2007/09/vmware-installing-windows-xp-on-esx.html

[BBaldauf]

That worked great!! Thanks for your help!